Indian Cooking 101: Know Your Spices {Part 1}

Updated on April 27, 2020 By Shalini2 Comments - This post contains affiliate links which means if you use them to make a purchase, I'll earn enough money to maybe buy me a lil' something - an ingredient, probably.

In my quest to demystifying Indian food, I’m starting this series Indian Cooking 101 where I’ll be sharing the basics of Indian cooking, the must-haves, and essentials for making authentic Indian recipes, keeping in mind the affordability and accessibility. Let’s start the lesson with an insight into spices.

Throughout history, the lure of spices has led the adventurous to unexplored lands. Heck, Kerala’s spices enticed Arabs and Mediterranean and the spice trade dates back three thousand years.

Spices improve and enhance the flavor of food. They are also rich in nutrients and antioxidants. In addition, spices also have medicinal properties and are used in home remedies and Ayurvedic medicines.

If you’re a beginner to Indian cooking, you’d be overwhelmed by the number of spices we use in our daily cooking. However, what if I say, you need only 5-7 bare minimum spices to prepare a delicious meal? Sounds good? Read on.

Forms of Indian Spices

Spices can be:

whole

powdered

curry paste

Whole spices can be ground and powdered in a spice grinder and stored in airtight containers for convenience. Traditionally, a grinding stone or a mortar and pestle was used for this purpose.

Spices are also available as powders in the market. It is also available as curry paste.

Let’s start with the basic spices that you should have in your pantry before you go all out into hoarding the many Indian spices.

Notes: I mainly use Cumin seeds for simple North Indian stir-fries. It has an aromatic and spicy flavor which intensifies when heated.

Mustard produces a strong, pungent oil that is used in some traditional Indian foods (eg: The Bengali Mustard Fish Curry). In South India, mustard is mainly used for tempering (explained below).

Red Chili powder can be made from ground dried red chilies.

Turmeric powder is made by grinding the root of turmeric in the ginger family. It is a natural antiseptic and is used in many home remedies. It adds a pop of color to dishes like dal and is used along with other spices in curries.

Coriander is one of the oldest recorded spices- from Sanskrit texts to tombs of pharaohs. It can be used as whole seeds, ground powder, or fresh leaves. Considered an aphrodisiac, the powder can be made by grinding aromatic coriander seeds and then stored in airtight containers.

It is easy to master these spices and you can whip out some delicious Indian dishes using them.

Quick Recipes Using Basic Indian Spices

Take, for example, Jeera Aloo which is sauteed potatoes in cumin seeds. All you need, apart from seasoning, is a pinch of turmeric powder and cumin seeds to cook potatoes.

Here are a few more simple stir fry recipes that make use of only the above spices.

Yam Stir Fry | Chena Mezhukkupuratti

Perfect side-dish to rice, elephant-foot yam is cubed, boiled and tossed in coconut oil with simple Indian spices.

What is Curry Powder?

Now, this is going to break your heart.

There is NO SUCH THING as a Curry Powder in India and it is NOT used in authentic Indian dishes. It is in fact, an American/British version of Indian spice mix which is used to add into soups, stews, and curries.

So, if you mix together some cumin, turmeric, coriander, and ginger, it doesn’t guarantee you to bring a traditional Indian flavor to your curries.

Every Indian recipe calls for specific spices in a certain amount. Only this will bring out its true flavor and not a spice blend like curry powder.

For eg, if you add curry powder to your chicken curry and to your vegetable soup, the taste remains the same, barring the different vegetables or condiments you’ve used in both the dishes.

What is Garam Masala?

Now you’d ask me what Garam Masala is. And how that being a spice mix, we add it in most of the curries.

These spices are dry roasted and then ground to a fine powder to be added in curries like Beef Roast or Chicken Curry. Once made, it can be stored in an airtight container.

However, Garam Masala is added along with other spices, and it is mostly not the overpowering one in any dish. Often, Garam Masala is added for ease and to avoid biting into whole spices like clove or cardamom.

Here comes my favorite spice, Black Pepper. As a child, I used to pluck fresh green peppers from the tree and munch on, my Mom says. Ah, fond memories. This is the spice that took early traders to Kerala, in search of the ‘Black Gold’. An important ingredient in Kerala cuisine, pepper is also used for home remedies for coughs and colds.

Kerala Style Pepper Chicken

The flavor of crushed peppercorns, this pepper chicken will surely make you go Whoa!

Spices Used in Tempering

Before we learn about other major Indian spices, let’s take a look into some common cooking methods. Indian cuisine, like most others, follows the basic methods of cooking like sauteing, frying, deep-frying, shallow frying, boiling, steaming, simmering, and grilling.

But many Indian dishes use a cooking method called Tempering, either at the beginning of the cooking process or in the end as a final flavoring touch.

Tempering or Tadka (or Thalipu in Malayalam) means sauteing whole spices in hot oil or ghee to be added to the dish. This will release the essential oils from the whole spices and add more flavor to any food. Indian tempering cooking method is in no way related to tempering chocolate or eggs.

Tempering spices also differ according to region. For eg, the main ingredient for tempering in South Indian cooking is black mustard seeds and in North Indian cooking, it is cumin seeds.

The main spices used in tempering are mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chilies, and asafoetida. In addition, we also use curry leaves, dry fenugreek leaves, and split lentils for tempering.

English

Hindi

Malayalam

Cumin

Jeera

Jeerakam

Mustard

Sarson

Kaduku

Dry Red Chilies

Sukhi Sabut Lal Mirch

Vattal Mulaku

Asafoetida

Hing

Kaayam

Here are some examples of recipes that call for tempering at the start of the cooking process.

Recipes with Tempering at the End of Cooking

Here are some examples of recipes that call for tempering at the end of the cooking process.

Beetroot Pachadi | Beetroot in Yogurt Sauce

A popular side in Kerala lunches and an essential in Onam Sadya, Beetroot Pachadi has beets chunks boiled, grated and added to a yogurt sauce. The tempering added at the end brings more flavor to the dish.

Notes:Asafoetida is extracted from the resin of ferula plant. It is available in the form of a resinous mass or in powder form mixed with rice flour, which is easier to use. It also has digestive properties and is used for relief from flatulence.

Other Important Spices and Herbs in Indian Cuisine

English

Hindi

Malayalam

Saffron

Kesar

Kumkumam

Cambodge/Malabar Tamarind/Kokam

Kokam

Kudampuli

Tamarind

Imli

Puli

Fenugreek

Methi

Uluva

Ginger

Adrak

Inji

Dry Mango Powder

Aamchoor

Maangapodi

Nigella

Kalonji

Karinjeerakam

Poppy Seeds

Khas Khas

Khas Khas

Carom Seeds

Ajwain

Ayamodakam

Star Anise

Chakra Phul

Thakkolam

Garlic

Lasun

Veluthulli

Curry Leaf

Kari Patha

Kariveppila

Mint

Pudina

Pudina

Notes: Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world, which can cost around 3000 dollars for just two pounds. It is used as a flavoring and coloring agent in savory foods and desserts.

Cambodge

In its purest form, Cambodge (Garcinia gummi-gutta) is different from kokum (Garcinia indica). Before reaching the market, the fruit is cut open, the inner pulp discarded, and the outer petal-like skin is sun-dried to a black color. To use, soak 2-3 petals in water for 10-20 minutes. Add the pieces to the curry. The below mentioned Kerala Style Fish Curry uses Cambodge.

Kerala Style Red Fish Curry

One of the easiest fish curries to make, this Red fish curry from Kottayam, Kerala is cooked with red chilies and spices and has a kick of coccum.

Tamarind is another souring agent added to gravies. To use, soak tamarind in hot water and squeeze to a pulp. Strain to add to the curry.

Used in the form of seeds and leaves, fenugreek is bitter and strong in flavor. The seeds are popular in South Indian cuisine, used in tempering, and leaves are popularly used in North Indian foods, freshly sauteed, or dried to add flavor.

Ginger is mildly aromatic and has a pungent flavor. It is used in a variety of sweet and savory dishes. Always wash and peel before using it.

Nigella is used for tempering and also as flavoring agent in breads and fried snacks- just like carom seeds.

Poppy seeds are mainly used to thicken sauces and gravies.

Star Anise is another flavoring spice like cinnamon and clove, used in Pulaos and curries.

From mythology to religion, garlic is featured everywhere. It has many medicinal properties and helps in reducing blood pressure and cholesterol levels. I love garlic in my food for it blends well with onions and spices.

Curry leaf is used in tempering and its flavor enhances when it is heated in oil. It is one of the essential ingredients in South Indian cuisine.

That’s all for now!

Did you like this first post on the series- Indian Cooking 101? Pin it!

Do you have a favorite spice that you like to use? I hope I’ve covered it in this post. If not, let me know in the comment section below so that I can make the necessary changes.

About Shalini

Namaste! I'm Shalini, the blogger behind Something's Cooking(since 2014). I share only our best, family approved recipes with YOU because I've tried and tested every recipe published on this blog. You can find easy Keto, low-carb recipes, and authentic Indian recipes including South Indian (Kerala) foods. You can rest assured that Indian cooking will be made easy. Thanks for stopping by! I'm so happy you're here.

Something’s Cooking is now on YouTube!

Archives

Archives

Categories

Categories

Footer

My Favorites

Hey there, I'm Shalini, food blogger and aspiring YouTuber. I live in the beautiful land of India and in my blog you can find authentic Indian recipes. I'm a Keto enthusiast and here you will also find ketogenic diet recipes for beginners.